Three visions, two crowns, and a holy death
2 min • Digitized on June 25, 2021
From The Glories of Mary, page 723
By St. Alphonsus Liguori
85.—The blessed Joachim Piccolomini, who had a very great devotion to Mary, even from childhood, used to visit three times a day an image of the sorrowful mother, which was in a neighboring church, and abstained from all food on Saturday in her honor. Moreover, he rose at midnight to meditate upon her dolors.
But let us see how Mary rewarded him.
At first she appeared to him when he was young, and directed him to enter into religion in the order of her Servants, which he did.
Towards the close of his life, she again appeared to him, with two crowns in her hand: one of rubies, as the reward of the compassion he had cherished for her sorrows; and the other of pearls, as the reward of his chastity which he had consecrated to her.
Finally, at death she appeared to him again, when he asked of her the favor to die on the day on which Jesus Christ died, and the most holy Virgin consoled him by telling him: “Make ready now, for to-morrow (Friday) you will die suddenly, as you desire, and to-morrow you shall be with me in paradise.”
And thus it happened, for while they were chanting in the church the passion according to St. John, at the words: There stood near the cross of Jesus his mother: “Stabat juxta crucem Jesu mater ejus,” he was attacked with the faintness of death; at the words: And bowing his head he gave up the ghost: “Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum,” this blessed one also gave up his spirit to God; and at the same moment the church was filled with a great splendor, and a most sweet fragrance. *
* Rossign. Pieta Osseg.